Improvement in railway switches



EDWARD MERCIER.

Improvement in Railway Switches.

NO. 120,592. Patented Nov.`7,1871. L p I H l m L :s s o UNTTRD STATESPATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD MERCIER, OF SPRINGFIELD, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND LITTLE &STANTON, OF HUNTINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

i IMPROVEMENT IN RAILWAY SWITCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,592, dated November7, 1871.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD MERCIER, of Springfield, Hampden county,Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented an Improved Self- OperatingRailroad Switch, of which the following is a specification:

My invention consists in an operating metallic frame attached to thesliding switch, and having one of its sides rising above and passingover one of the rails of the disconnected track at an acute angle, andsufficiently separated from the rail at the end in the direction of theapproaching train to enable the flange of the first wheel to act as awedge in separating it from the rail and in that action bringing theswitch, to which the frame is attached, opposite the desired track. Theframe is so formed that one side of it always rests over a rail of thedisconnected track; and, in connection with the above, the device isshown for locking the switch when opposite either track, and for movingthe switch when the train shall pass over it to either of the tracks.This consists of two rods running in a parallel direction and at rightangles to a line through the horizontal center of the operating frame,one attached to the switch where the base of the frame is, and the otherdirectly to the smaller end of the frame and running under the rails.The other ends of these rods are outside of the track, and are connectedseverally to a crank and eccentric upon the ends of a connecting-rod orshaft working in hearings. The one from the base of the frame isattached to or bears against an eccentric on a center. When the switchshall have completed its traverse to either track, the handle upon therod projecting beyond the eccentric, by coming against the face of thetie, limits the revolution of the eccentric to one-half. Now, it isevident that no force brought against the switch could move it from theposition it held when the eccentric was on a dead-point, so that itwould be impossible for any jar or movement to start the switch when aweight is upon it going in either direction; but proceeding toward itfrom a disconnected track, the iiange of the first approaching wheelmoves the smaller end of the frame, and with it the rod attachedthereto, which rod, by its crank connection, starts the shaft andeccentricin its half revolution, while the continued insertion of theange of the wheel between the frame and rail as a wedge completes themovenient,- and the engine passes onto the switch locked in position asa continuation of the traveled track.

In the drawing, Figure I is a plan viewof the track with switch andframe in one position. Fig. II shows the same parts in another position.Fig. III is a view of the crank; Fig. IV, a view of the eccentric andconnecting-rod 3 and Fig. V, a top view of the cover.

A is the meta-l operating frame, having its larger end b securelyfastened to the switch D, and its sides c d (properly braced) swelled topass over the rail and present an acute angle to the rail so covered, asseen in Figs. I and II. To the smaller end g of the frame is fastenedthe end of rod H, which is carried luider the rails;

and to the rail of the switch, opposite end b of l the frame is securedthe end of rod W. The rod H terminates in a fan-shaped crank, having aslot in it on the circumference of a circle, the center of which is thecenter of the shaft, to which it is keyed or otherwise fastened, the rodbeing connected to this fan F by a pin passing through the groove, sothat the rod H and pin bear against either end of the slot to start therevolution of the shaft X and eccentric V, and after thus starting thecrank has lost motion until the pin bears against the other end. The endof the rod W is slotted to pass over the eccentric V, and is confined toa horizontal movement by the cover p, under which it slides. The handlem, as before described, rests directly against the tie 4 and locks theswitch in place. The eccentric, as shown in Fig. IV, is covered below aswell as above, so as to be perfectly protected from dust, gravel, 85o.

In this manner I construct a switch simple and sure in action, and oneeasily worked, and selflocking as well as self-operatin g.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

In combination with the switch D, the metallic frame A, fan F, eccentricV, shaft X, and connecting-rods H and W, the parts being all constructedand arranged substantially as hereinbe L. GOLNEY. (120)

